Terminal mounting electric fitting



p 1949- w. H. COOK 2,482,966

TERMINAL MOUNTING ELECTRIC FITTING Filed Aug. 21, 1946 M'Mz'am 4 M Patented Sept. 27, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE siriiifit, g G

Application August 21, 1949, Serial No. 692,091

Clam (Cl. 113-361) This invention relates to electric fittings, more particularly to the movement of the terminal as to the insulation to anchor the conductor therein, the conductor holding even being eflected upon its insulation jacket. r

This invention has utility when incorporated in readily disconnectable electric fittings of the prong and 'socket type in an insulation jacket or rigid housing. A core insulation member with seat for pivotally mounting a terminal, has way thereto for an insulated conductor usually stranded wire. The swinging of the terminal is to pinch or pierce into the strand assembly, which may be thru insulation covering therefor, or there be kinking or direction change for the conductor to localize pull thereto and thus not directly upon the electrical connection of the terminal therewith.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention in a two-prong electric fitting, one prong being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of the core insulation member for the fitting of Fig. 1, one partly broken away terminal being down in conductor wire clamping position and the other terminal being swung out toreceive a wire, portions of the latter terminal and of themember being broken away;

Fig. 3 is a section thru the outer insulation member on a medial line lengthwise, as shown on Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an end elevationof the fitting of Fig. 1 from the conductor inlet end, or that opposite, from the prongs;

Fig. 5 is a view with portions broken away, of socket type fitting, for terminals of the general character of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is an embodiment of the pivoted terminal a in a two-prong angle fitting, the core being not fully seated in the outer assembly locking insula tion housing therefor;

Fig. 7 is'a section on the line VIIV'II, Fig. 6, on a slightly larger scale, but with the assembly completed;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of another type of angle fitting having a difierent type of swingable terminal, a partially broken away terminal being swung out in position to engage a conductor wire to be fed thereinto, and the other terminal being fully seated and embraced by an outer insulation housing, shown as broken away in allowing the swing-out terminal to be released;

Fig. '9

two-part insulation core for an insulation housing in a two-prong straight fitting;

Fig. 10 is a side view, with parts broken away of a two-prong insulation core for a straight core ,I, is a narrow way or slot 6 having a generally cylindrical or enlarged bottom groove 1 wire 3, l, in the way 2.

is a view with parts broken awayof a opening with the slot atend 8 of the core member I. At opposite end 9 of the member I, the

slots 6 are closed, while the way 2 extends thru and is open at each end 9, 8. The enlarged portion I here may extend not a third of the length of the slot 6 from the end 8.

Pivot pins Ill, transversely of the slots 8 somewhat away from the grooves 1, and more close to the closed end 9 than the open end 8, provide mounting for a swing terminal ll having a free "end l2 and an intermediate pflset i3. Adjacent the pivot pin III, the terminal portion II has a cam ll to a toothed section l5 as penetrating or pinching means to kink the strands 5 into a port 33.

A lead in wire, may or may not be terminally stripped of its insulation or covering 3, 4, to expose its strands 5. The wire strands with the insulation thereon may be thrust into a groove I to approach the closed end. This travel is permitted when the terminal II is swung out from the slot 6. Reverse or inward swing has the cam i4 slightly grip or hold the lead wire 3, or 4. Further swing toward aligning the terminal II with the slot 6, brings the toothed portion l5 into punching or penetrating relation for cutting thru the insulation, if such be present, and spreading the wire strands 5 for an efiicient electrical'conducting connection. The lead wire 3, 4, as emerging from the groove! is flexed toward the way 2 in order to clear tongue it of the terminal II. There is a full return bend I! in placing the lead An insulation envelop or housing l8 has an open end l9 to a chamber portion 20 lengthwise of which is a slight tongue 2|. By thrusting'the housing II at its end i9 over the end 8 of the lock the fitting together as a rigid unit.

The effective lead line anchoring into a terminal carrying electrical fitting disclosed in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, for prong type of unit, has utility in socket embodiment (Fig. An insulation core 25, has from an end 9, thereof, for a portion of its longitudinal extent, a medial way 2, and on each side therefrom a slot 5. Pivot pins l5 rockably mount terminal portions II in the slot 5. The block of core 25, remote from the end 9 has widened way portions from the slots 5. In alignment with the terminal portion H and integral therewith is a socket side portion 21, complementary to which is a rivet or weld attached socket side portion 28 in the outward widened way portion 25. Between the way portions 26 and as a cut-ofi abutment 29 there is a termination of the way 2, providing sufficient clearance for the return bends ll of the lead wires 5. 5, to be wrapped back from the cam-squeezed and tooth penetrated strand regions 5 anchored by the terminal portions II in the core 25. The socket assembly may be completed by sliding an insulation envelop over the block 25 from the end remote from the end 9 thereof, to bring its windows 22 in register with the open ends of the way portions 26 and the ledges 23 snugly to abut this end of the core 25. The windows 22 expose the free ends of the socket portions 21, 28, for receiving terminal prongs as thrust thereinto. As with the prong unit of Fig. 1, this socket unit (Fig. 5), has any pull strain of the lead lines relatively to the unit, taken at the return bends I1 and directly on the insulation covering for the strands 5. Furthermore this strain is taken by the insulation block core, and not upon the terminal nor the strands as press fitted into eflicient electric circuit completing association.

A two-prong angle fitting (Figs. 6, 7) is provided with an insulation core member 3| having slots 5 upon opposite sides of a central way 2. Pivot pins Ill swingably mount terminal portions 52 in the slots 5. A penetrating tooth portion |5 swings into register with a port 55 of the block or core 5|, to squeeze wire strands 5 into binding or locking eflicient electrical contact relation. A

clearance region 35 is close to pinching proximity to the return bend ll of the lead line 5 from the locked strands 5. An insulation housing or envelop 35 has an open way 55 theretbru. An arc rim 5'! has its open side 55 adapted to be closed by an upstanding minor are or lug 59 rising from the core 5| as a terminus for the way 2 in directing the lead lines 3, 5, from the bends thru the ring entrance 51, 39, of this unit. With the block 5| thrust fully into the envelop 55, the terminal prongs l2 have their spring tongues 25 snap over the end of the envelop 95 about the windows 22 to hold the core 5| in the unit assembly. The prongs l2 are thus locked to protrude thru the windows 22.

An angle fitting of a somewhat diflerent type, but still with the movable terminals to anchor the lead wires therewith, is shown in Fig. 8. A block 55 has pivot pins l5 across slots 5 to swingabl mount terminal portions 5| having tooth portion 52 thereby movable across a port from intake throat or ring entrance 55 for a pair of lead wires. Away from its end 5, the core 55. has lateral clearance 55' for terminal 90 twists 55. This permits prong terminals l2 to swin against a face 55' of the core 55 in lead line anchoring, for the prongs l2 to be in parallel upon opposite sides of spacer portion 55 of the core 55. A U-shaped-enveiop 51 is then thrust over the prongs 12 to slide against the ring 55. Bounds oi. a window. in the envelop 51 are engaged by the tongues 25 0! the prongs l2, and lock the fitting into a unit.

A movable terminal in a straight fitting is shown in Fig. 9. Its core comprises a pair of similar complementary sections 55 having opposing semi-ring portions 55 for lead wire entrance. Halt ways or complementary groove passages 5| therefrom extend to wider open side regions 52 toward the end 5. A screw 55 assembles the sections 59 into a core unit, and simultaneously seats trunnions 55 of rockable terminals 55 across the passage 5|. The terminal 55 has a port 55 therethru as a window in register, as open, with the passage 5| when the terminal has its prong end l2 outward. Upon extending a lead line 5, 5, thru the throat to enter a passage 5| and be thrust thru the port 55, the prong portion |2 as outward beyond its oii'set l5, may be swung toward the end 5 for the fully seated prongs to be parallel. In this travel, a tooth portion 51 at the free end of the terminal 55 moves toward the throat 55 to penetrate the covering oi the lead wire 5, as the wire is kinked thru the opening 55 and an additional penetrating tooth 55 crowds into the coating of the lead wire 5 as a second reinforcing anchoring means, supplementing the kinkagainst working clear or the terminal 55. An insulation envelop 59 may now be thrust over the core unit 59 for the prongs l2 to protrude thru its window 55 and the tongues 25 to engage the window bounds in holding the core 59 against the ledges 25.

Oppositely swlngable terminals (Figs. 10, 11) are in a core 55. Pivot pins l9 swingably mount terminal portions II in oppositely open slots 5 having groove bottoms I separately from an entrance throat 5|. The lead wires are thrust along in the grooves I past the terminals as swung outward. In-swing causes are tooth 55 to pierce thru the coating outward from the pivot I5 and swing back as on thru for a return thrust or piercing in contacting the strands 5 with the terminal tooth 55. A straight tooth |5 from the as terminal portion may then kink the end of the lead wire into a port 55. The prongs I2 oi the terminals as outward beyond the onsets I5, are brought into parallelism. An envelop 52 is slipped over the core 55 for the prongs l2 to ex- 50 tend thru the window 55 and have their tongues 25 engage the window bounds in holding the core 59 against the ledges 25 in assembling the unit.

Under the invention herein, a swing terminal may make two kinks in a lead wire (Fig. 12). An insulation core 55 has an entrance throat 55 for lead wires 5, 5, to enter passages 55. The passage 55 has a centerward dip enlargement 55 to an abrupt rise terminus 51 with a less diameter way 55 entrance to a second inward dip 55 to a small end 15.

Pivot pin |5 mounts a terminal 1| having cam cheeks l5 in parallel as are portions clear of the way portions 55, 55, when the terminal prongs I I2 are outward from the opposite sides of the core 55. The lead wires 5, 5, may have terminal bare strands 5. The wires are thrust thru the throat 44 into the passages 65 for the strands 5 to be therein adjacent the-end 10. The wire sovering' or insulation portion may approach the less diameter way 69. Swinging of the terminal prong portions I2 toward'parallelism, causes the cam portions I4 to thrust a kink of the insulated or covered wire 3, 4, into the enlargement 66, in providing substantial anchoring thru the insulation. Simultaneously, the parallel cam portions 14 enter the dip portions 69 in producing a kink in the bare strands 5 in providing snug electric contact with the terminal. Then with the prongs l2 thru the window 48 in the envelop 41, the envelop 41 is slipped over the core 64 to a limit ledge 23, and the spring tongues I! lock the unit assembled.

What is claimed and it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device of the class described comprising a contact blade having a pivot, an inner body member having a face and a recess in the member extending from the face, said recess including a seat for the blade pivot, an electric conductor in a portion of the recess, said blade having a prong and a tongue, said tongue coacting to pinch the conductor in the recess upon swinging-movement of the blade on its pivot to position the prong to protrude from said member face, and an outer body member slidable over the inner member to ,viding a prong, said terminal including a tongue adapted to coact to pinch a conductor wire in the conductor wire recess upon the swinging of the terminal into terminal-recess register position, and an outer insulation member movable to embrace the terminal and inner member to lock the terminal in the wire pinching register position.

An electric fitting member having a recess therealong with a laterally open portion, a conductor wire extending into the recess, a prongproviding terminal having swingable mounting to register in the recess open portion. the terminal including a tongue then coacting to pinch against the wire, and an outer member slidable over the terminal registering open portion to lock the terminal to pinch the wire and direct the ter- 6 minal prong to protrude from the assembled members. 7

4. A device of the class described comprising cuter and inner body members, one of said members having a hole therein directed toward a seat therealong, a prong-providing contact blade rdapted to be positioned in the seat, and an electric conductor wire thru the hole and extending along the blade at the seat, said seat providing a bearing for relative angular movement between the blade and said seat-providing one member, sar'd blade including a tongue, coacting in said movement to pinch-anchor the hole-held wire in said one member, the other member being movable relatively to the blade and one member to lock the blade to hold the wire pinched and the prong to protrude from the device.

5. An electric fitting comprising an inner insulation member having a face with an opening therefrom for a pair of lead-in conductor wires and an additional face with partially open side recess pair therefrom in communication with said opening, said recesses each providing a bearing,

a pair of prong-providing terminals each having a bearing for swingable mounting in one of said recess bearings as complementary thereto, each of said terminals having a tongue, lead-in-wires directed by the opening to said communication with the recesses, said respective terminals being swingable on the bearing mounting therefor to thrust the tongues to pinch the difi'erent lead-in wires upon swinging of the terminals to register with the recesses and the prongs to protrude from said aditional face, and an outer insulation member movable relatively to the inner member and terminals to lock the assembly.

WILLIAM H. COOK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

